1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a waste toner collecting device and an image forming apparatus, and particularly to, for example, a waste toner collecting device that collects waste toner discharged from a waste toner discharging unit of an apparatus body, and to an image forming apparatus including the waste toner collecting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-160456 discloses an example of an existing waste toner collecting device. The waste toner case disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-160456 includes a nozzle guide disposed in a photoconductor unit and into which a nozzle for discharging waste toner is inserted. The nozzle guide includes a discharge port, through which waste toner is discharged from the nozzle to a containing container, a shutter unit that opens or closes the discharge port, and a spring that urges the shutter into a closing position for opening or closing the shutter in conjunction with an operation of inserting the nozzle.
The waste toner case disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-160456 is removable from an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus to be replaceable with a new waste toner case when having a waste toner containing container filled with waste toner. The waste toner case disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication. No. 9-160456 also includes a shutter mechanism that opens or closes in conjunction with an operation of inserting the nozzle to prevent the collected waste toner from leaking to the outside regardless of when the filled waste toner case is erroneously brought down during replacement.
However, as in the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-160456, moving the nozzle guide while the shutter is moved in conjunction with an operation of inserting the nozzle requires a wide clearance between the shutter and the nozzle guide. If the waste toner case that has collected the waste toner is erroneously brought down, the clearance is generated between the discharge port and the shutter in the closing position at which it closes the discharge port, and the reclaimed waste toner is allowed to leak out through the clearance to make the surroundings dirty.
It is desirable to provide a new waste toner collecting device and a new image forming apparatus.
It is also desirable to provide a waste toner collecting device and an image forming apparatus that can appropriately prevent waste toner from leaking while the container is removed from an apparatus body.